Recording: Paediatric Aspiration and Videofluoroscopy: The Evidence and the Practicalities

IASLT is delighted to be working with Children's Health Ireland at Temple Street to bring you this training. It took place on the morning of March 28th online via Zoom and is open now to SLTs and other healthcare professionals to view as a recording. 

This event was originally held on 28th of March 2023, please scroll to the end of the page to purchase access to the recording and handouts.

Duration 4.30 hours

This is an introductory level course for:

• SLTs and other healthcare professionals who have an active paediatric FEDS caseload in their place of work, are establishing a FEDS service and who refer children for videofluoroscopy
• SLTs and other healthcare professionals who are interested in an introduction to paediatric videofluoroscopy and the evidence base associated with aspiration and intervention strategies

Aims:

• To be able to apply theoretical knowledge about paediatric videofluoroscopy to clinical practice
• To increase confidence in making appropriate and timely referrals for videofluorosocopy
• To have up to date knowledge on the current evidence base on aspiration, RTIs and compensatory strategies used in paediatric videofluoroscopy
• To increase confidence in using of clinical assessment to inform VFSS practice
• To increase knowledge of how paediatric videofluoroscopy clinics run and what children and families experience on the day

By the end of workshop, participants will be able to:

• Identify when and how to refer children for videofluoroscopy
• Provide and use clinical assessment to manage dysphagia before and after videofluoroscopy
• Use up to date evidence on aspiration, RTIs and compensatory strategies to inform clinical practice and dysphagia management

Course presenters

Cathy McQuillan

Cathy McQuillan is a Senior Speech and Language Therapist currently providing SLT services in CHI at Temple Street. Cathy currently works in the Outpatient FEDS service within Temple St providing input to a varied caseload of children with complex FEDS needs. Her main areas of experience include providing FEDS services to the Neurosciences services, Neonates and Videofluoroscopy. She is also involved in a research project exploring FEDS outcomes in children born with trachea-oesophageal fistulas (TOF).
Cathy qualified in 2010 and started working in the area of acute FEDS in a neonatal intensive care unit and paediatric wards in a large teaching hospital in Singapore. Previously, Cathy has also worked in paediatric and adult acute services in Oxford and Manchester. Her training includes SOS, SOFFI and FEES.

Imogen Carter

Imogen Carter is a Senior Speech and Language Therapist in CHI Temple St. Imogen works in the Outpatient FEDS service and in Videofluoroscopy. Imogen is experienced in working with a wide range of presentations including tracheostomy, neurodisability. Imogen qualified in 1997 and completed her Dysphagia training in 2005 with Quest Training UK Ltd.

Ciara McKay

Ciara McKay is a Senior Speech and Language therapist in CHI at Temple Street. Her main areas of expertise include providing FEDS and communication support to infants and children in the Neurosciences and Neonatology services. She has special interests in the areas of neurology and infant mental health.
Ciara graduated from NUI Galway in 2016 with dysphagia competencies. Ciara previously worked in the National Rehabilitation Hospital and CHI at Crumlin. Her training includes SOFFI, NOMAS, NBO, WEEFIM and FIMFAM. She completed a postgraduate diploma in Assistive Technology through Enable Ireland/DIT in 2018 and complete a postgraduate diploma in Breastfeeding and Lactation in UCD in 2022. Ciara is currently training to qualify as a Lactation Consultant.

Bronagh O’ Hara

Bronagh O’ Hara is a Speech and Language Therapist currently providing SLT service to the Neurosurgical team in CHI@Temple Street. She works with children from birth to 16 years who experience communication and swallowing difficulties as a consequence of their brain and/or spinal tumours, acquired and traumatic brain injuries.

Previously, Bronagh worked in a community neurodisability setting for over 17 years providing assessment and intervention, including VFSS, for children with a range of neurodisabilities including cerebral palsy.

Bronagh completed her advanced paediatric dysphagia through Manchester Metropolitan University in 2008 and her Masters (Dysphagia) through Trinity College Dublin in 2017. Her training also includes SOS and SOFFI.